Alkins
Alkins (アルキンス Arukinsu), also known as Alkie (アルキー Arukī) is an alcoholic freelance assassin who is hired by Gustavo Bagetta to assist in his raid against the Gandor Family at the Daily Days headquarters in January 1932. In February 1935, Luck Gandor hires him to work for the Gandors during the casino party at Ra's Lance. Like the other Gandor-hired assassins, Alkins wants to have a rematch against Vino. Appearance Alkins is an older man in his late fifties or early sixties, with short grey hair and a dour, weathered face. He is usually seen drinking from a bottle or flask of liquor, and reeks of alcohol at all times. The alcohol abuse makes him appear older than he is with a worn-out appearance, to the point where others assume he is an old man. Personality Alkins believes in the pride and honor of an assassin, which means that he will not betray a client or give up on a job no matter its difficulty. He does not beat around the bush and has a rough and somewhat blunt way of speaking. Though he is often drunk, he is never actually inebriated to the point of being incapable, and his unkempt drunkard persona is more of a deceptive persona than the true state of affairs. Despite his deception he is still an alcoholic, and will take on jobs often with the aim of earning money for alcohol. Chronology 1932 Having been approached by Runorata men for a job, Alkins waits in a Wall Street hotel room on January 02 along with fellow hitmen Maria Barcelito and Raz Smith and various Runorata subordinates for Runorata capo Gustavo Bagetta to arrive, all the while drinking whiskey directly from a bottle. When Gustavo enters, he takes one look at the hitmen and immediately disparages his subordinate for finding some random "Central Park buskers" instead of actual assassins. Maria swiftly draws her katana Murasámia and points it at Gustavo's throat, warning him not to fight. Gustavo grudgingly admits that she seems to have some skills, but Alkins is not impressed. Right as the subordinate says that one more hitman is still on the way, a bearded man with thick glasses enters the room and apologizes to the subordinate that on account of having a previous engagement he cannot take the offered job. The subordinate pleads with him to wait, calling him "Mr. Felix," and Alkins caps his bottle immediately at hearing the legendary Handyman's name. Felix insists that he cannot double-book hit jobs and rebuffs Gustavo's point that he will be able to fight the famed hitman Vino if he takes on the job. Gustavo thinks quickly and asks if Felix will at least take on a kidnapping job, and when Felix indicates that he will, says that he needs Felix to kidnap a man and girl from Hell's Kitchen without other mafia syndicates realizing. He and Felix enter into rate negotiations. After Felix leaves, Gustavo announces to the room that he wants the hitmen (whom he calls "hatchet professionals") to not involve themselves at the raid until Vino himself shows up, and adds that they will be paid after the job is finished, not before. He then gives orders to the Runorata subordinates, reminding them of his plans to take down the Gandor Family. With the meeting concluded, Alkins and the others follow Gustavo out into the hallway. Begg Garott briefly stops them. The raid group proceed onward to the headquarters of the Daily Days, and Alkins and Maria follow the others into the abandoned editorial department while Smith and a Runorata guard wait outside the back entrance. The raiders find the first and second floors of the building empty similarly abandoned, and eventually gather in a large storeroom on the third floor. They are greeted by Luck Gandor, whom none of the Runoratas recognize until he identifies himself by name. Luck's older brothers Keith and Berga emerge from hiding, and Luck invites the Runorata subordinates to switch to the Gandors' side. Gustavo scoffs, but loses some of his bravado when Luck says that he and Bartolo Runorata have come to an agreement. According to Luck, he knows that Gustavo has been carrying on certain activities under Bartolo's nose, including how Gustavo used two layers of middlemen while dealing drugs on Gandor turf, and took protection money from the middlemen without informing Bartolo. Luck's accusation causes unrest among the men, and he asserts that Gandor men are taking control of the Runoratas' drug dens and accumulating proof of Gustavo's actions as they speak. Luck again extends his invitation to the Runorata men, promising that anyone who comes over to the Gandors' side will be free to go afterward, and that if anyone wants to officially join the Gandor Family they will be welcomed with open arms. Furthermore, if those who temporarily join the Gandors wish to rejoin the Runoratas, Bartolo will welcome them back with no consequences. However, those who remain on Gustavo's side as the Gandors' enemies will immediately become targets for Vino. Gustavo grabs the nearest subordinate and slams his head into the floor for hesitating. In the ensuing exchange of taunts between him and Luck, Luck reminds him that drawing their guns will surely attract police attention. Gustavo, uncaring, lifts his shotgun and shoots off Luck's head before aiming the shotgun at Keith. The regeneration process starts within seconds, shocking everyone except for Luck's brothers. Berga prods Luck awake once his head reforms, and Luck gets to his feet and asks the Runorata subordinates to make their decision. All of the subordinates are stunned into immobility, but Maria cheerfully attacks Luck in their place. Besides Maria, Alkins is the only other non-Gandor who appears relatively calm along with being possibly drunk. The bearded man enters the room, delivering his kidnapping targets Eve Genoard and Roy Maddock to Gustavo. Gustavo, confidence bolstered by the Handyman's appearance, asks him if he would consider tying up the Gandors on the Runoratas' behalf. The Handyman counters that he would need around "thirty quadrillion dollars" before he would consider making the brothers his enemies, and then shoos Eve and Roy out of the room with a warning for them to hide. Maria impatiently asks Luck to hurry up and summon Vino, and the Handyman raises his hand and asks, "You rang?" The Handyman removes his beard and glasses and introduces himself as Felix Walken, Vino, and the Rail Tracer all at once. Luck and Felix discuss Felix changing his name from Claire to Felix, and Alkins secretly lifts his gun and shoots at Felix. Felix breaks off his long-winded explanation and shoots at Alkins simultaneously. Alkins' liquor bottle shatters from the bullet, and Alkins crumples to the ground. The bullet that Alkins shot buries itself into the wall right behind Felix. While Alkins is out of commission, Luck leaves the room. Gustavo makes a break for it, and Felix tries to stop him only to be stopped by Maria. He uses Tick Jefferson's scissors to block her katanas, and as they fight Berga protects Felix's back by dealing with Smith before he can shoot Felix with his shotguns. Smith manages to shoot Berga multiple times, but once punch from Berga knocks Smith out. Once Felix successfully holds Maria at scissor-point, several of the Runorata subordinates announce to Keith that they will now be leaving. Berga explains to a surprised Felix that the men who just left the room were moles who secured the Gandors' agreement with Bartolo. As Berga talks, Alkins readies his gun once more and fires it in Felix's direction. The bullet does not hit Felix, who simultaneously moves and hurls a pair of Tick's scissors at Alkins. Alkins uses Smith's unconscious body as a human shield, and the scissors bury themselves in Smith's shoulder. Felix laughs, picks up his own gun, and engages in a firefight with Alkins. He dodges all the bullets Alkins shoots, and Alkins blocks all of Felix's bullets with Smith's body. Once both of them exhaust their ammo, Felix expresses his lack of surprise over Alkins' surprise attack. He had thought Alkins' lack of pushback at the beginning odd, since he had judged Alkins to be the strongest of the three hitmen back in the hotel. Alkins replies that he is relieved to see that the rumors about Felix's skill are true, but Felix interrupts him and asks why he still wants to fight when Gustavo is "washed up." Alkins says that he has a personal interest in the head of Vino, and as Felix produces another set of Tick's scissors, adds that he cannot betray his client even if his client is gone. Felix is mystified at such an attitude, pointing out that it is only natural for "the weak" to sell someone out. He bursts out laughing as soon as Alkins brings up "the pride of a hitman," further amused when Alkins produces a knife out of annoyance. With scorn, Felix launches into a rant over how the hitman's profession is inherently without pride and honor, mocking Alkins for being "drunk on his own useless preaching" despite not believing in anybody. He invites Alkins to fight him so that he can prove that scum is scum no matter what, but Keith presses the muzzle of his handgun into the back of his head and warns him not to scoff at how other people live. Alkins creeps up behind Felix as Felix apologizes to Keith, only for Keith to kick him to the floor. One stomp from Keith against Alkins' liver renders him down for the count. In the aftermath, Alkins recuperates at Fred's Clinic with Roy in the bed over and Smith in the bed on Roy's other side. He is present when Roy finally wakens, with Edith and Fred standing by Roy's bed. February 1935 Alkins is nursing a hangover in the cafeteria of Fred's Poorhouse one morning when Nader Schasschule leaps to his feet at a nearby table and presses a fork to Upham's throat, non-responsive to Roy Maddock's attempts to talk him down. Smith, who had been eating breakfast with his apprentice Mark Wilmans, presses the muzzle of a gun to Nader's forehead out of irritation over his meal being interrupted. Having had enough, Alkins stands and demands that the others quiet down so that he can drink in peace. He takes a swig from his whiskey bottle and proceeds to send Nader crumpling to the ground by smashing another liquor bottle into his face. Smith moodily complains that Alkins interrupted his speech, but Alkins retorts that the last thing he needs is one of Smith's speeches while he is hungover. He adds that someone like Smith, who ambushed Alkins' friends the Gandors, has no right to say such things. Smith bristles at Alkins' attitude, but Roy and Mark respectively pull Alkins and Smith away from each other and calm them down. Nader blacks out, and Roy and Upham take him back to his room. Around half an hour later, Luck and Maria enter in the cafeteria. Smith immediately tries to shoot Maria, believing that she and Luck have finally come to kill him over the events of the Daily Days raid. Luck defuses the situation and explains to Smith and Alkins that he has come to offer them a job. Alkins' eyes widen, and Luck explains that he and his brothers will be attending the Runorata's casino party at Ra's Lance later that month, that it is possible the party will become violent, and that some people unaffiliated with gangs have been hired for the situation. Alkins complains that "this makes no damn sense" and asks why the Gandors do not simply hire members of the local riffraff to even out their numbers. His logic is sound, and Luck acknowledges that one might do such a thing were the situation a normal Mafia war - but that the current situation is a unique one. He pauses and glances over at Mark; when Smith assures him that Mark is trustworthy, he says that the situation may be connected to immortals and the terrorist Huey Laforet. Alkins is content to accept the job as long as it pays for his liquor, and for now will put aside his desire to fight Vino once more. Smith grudgingly agrees with Alkins for once, and Luck sighs and opines that taking on a job from someone who was once one's enemy is "insane." He informs Smith that this is why he specifically came to him when considering assassins who would be willing to take on the job. Ladd Russo heads over from where he has been listening along with Nader, Roy, and Graham Specter (with Shaft, Isaac, and Miria behind them) in the hallway and greets Smith with obvious disdain before turning his attention to Luck. He expresses a clear interest in Luck's job offer, saying that he is willing to give Luck a 'discount' since Luck is Firo Prochainezo's friend; he clarifies that he will take half of whatever Luck is paying Smith and help the Gandors out with the job. Luck carefully agrees, but warns that he will 'deal' with Ladd if he should prove unmanageable. Some days later, Alkins, Ladd, Graham, Maria, Smith, and Mark sit around a billiard table in the basement of Coraggioso at the Gandors' request, with Alkins sitting between Maria and Smith. Luck, Keith, and Berga sit on the other side of the table, with Keith fiddling with his pack of cards and Berga eating and drinking with abandon, and multiple Gandor subordinates stand at attention around them. Luck observes that one more person has yet to arrive, but decides to proceed with the meeting due to the late hour. Alkins ignores Maria and Smith glaring at each other on either side of him and asks the waitress if there is any alcohol on hand. She fetches some at his request. Graham meanwhile launches into one of his monologues, with Ladd indulging him, and Luck discusses Mark with Keith and Smith before Ladd manages to drive the conversation back on track. He asks Luck whom he wants them to kill, nonchalantly claiming that he can bring back the Runorata Don's head if Luck so desires. Luck takes him seriously, replying that "depending on the situation," the Gandors may actually order him to kill Bartolo. Ladd whistles, but Luck amends that such a situation would be an absolute worst-case scenario. He immediately shoots down Ladd teasingly assuming that he would prepare for an "all-out no-surrender fight to the death" in such an event, countering that the Gandors would only pick a fight with the Runoratas with the intent of crushing them. Later in the discussion, Luck says that he does not know for certain who the Gandors' enemy will be; he points out that on top of the police and federal agents snooping around the multiple organization attending the party, it is possibly that Huey and the Mafia could become their enemies as well. Ladd's smile warps slightly at Huey's name, but only Alkins, Keith, and Mark notice. Luck states that he and his brothers have assembled the assassins present in order to handle any enemies they may end up facing, and that he hopes the assassins will take on the job despite it being a gamble. The atmosphere in the room changes once Ladd brings up Felix's apparent friendship with the Gandors sometime later in the conversation. He announces his intent to kill Felix no matter what, and Luck recommends that Ladd not go after Felix – not because of Luck's personal friendship with him, but because "losing one of Gandors' guns" will cause them problems. Maria protests, saying that she can defeat Felix, but Luck rejects her proclamation. Ladd asks if Luck means him as well, and Luck recalls how Felix had easily handled him during the fight in Firo's casino. Ladd reaffirms that he will kill Felix despite Luck's lack of belief in him, and warns the other assassins not to get in his way. Luck spends the next twenty to thirty minutes explaining the details of what the assassins will be doing at Ra's Lance and their payment before a subordinate comes downstairs and whispers in his ear. Luck nods and informs the assassins that the last member of their group has arrived, and everyone turns to look at the newcomer at the top of the stairs. When the party at Ra's Lance finally begins, Alkins spends the first two nights of the party patrolling around the general area outside the hotel as do the other hired Gandor assassins. The next day, Luck assembles Alkins, Smith, Mark, Maria, and several Gandor bodyguards and has them accompany him on a walk around New York as a show of strength and as a potential challenge to the Runoratas. The group hears a strange noise echoing off the surrounding buildings, which Alkins, through hiccups, identifies as originating from Central Park. Luck decides to go investigate, and he orders everyone except for Alkins, Smith, and Maria to return to the office and warn his brothers there to be on guard. His men do so despite their concerns, and Luck's group heads off for Central Park with the addition of Mark, who has stayed despite Luck's initial exclusion of him. Luck suggests to Smith that he send Mark home, but Smith is disinclined to oblige. The group stops at a loud, scream-like noise behind them, and they turn to see a bear charging down the road with Isaac and Miria riding on its back. Chasing them are a pair of identical twins on motorcycles, as well as an automobile carrying Ladd, Graham, Lua Klein, and Shaft the driver; clinging to the car's back bumper is Victor Talbot, roughed up from the road. Graham, sitting on top of the car, manages to wave at Luck and Smith as the automobile rushes by. Once the bear, automobile, and motorcycles disappear into the distance, Maria asks Luck if she can slash the bear. Luck and his entourage eventually arrive at Central Park and find it in chaos. Multiple factions and people are there: Salomé Carpenter surrounded by the Larva (including Tim and Adele) and Lamia (including Frank, Sickle, and the Poet); Christopher Shaldred and Ricardo Russo; Graham, Lua, Shaft, Isaac, Miria, and the identical motorcycle-riding twins Gabriel and Juliano. All of them are engrossed in watching Ladd and Chané Laforet duel, having long since concluded that none of them would be able to stop the fight. Alkins stops the fight by throwing both Ladd and Chané off balance and past each other, though both are physically strong enough to break their falls on one knee, and asks them if they are drunk as they scramble to their feet. Ladd, who has not seen Alkins for a few days, recognizes him and asks him why he is interfering with the fight (and if he is drunk). Alkins sips from his hip flask and reminds Ladd that they are not supposed to fight until they know who their enemies are. Ladd agrees, and informs him that Chané is with Huey, which means she's with the Runoratas, which means that she has been the enemy from the start and he has to do something about it. As Maria rushes forward to attack Chané, Alkins says that taking Chané down will be easier if they all work together, and he joins the quickly growing fray by fighting the Larva. The fighting comes to a standstill when Felix shows up and invites everyone who has a gripe with him (or Huey, Melvi Dormentaire, and the Runoratas) to fight him while he is guarding Melvi and Firo's room on the final night of the party the following day. Gabriel and Juliano point their guns at Ladd after he tries to attack Felix and is batted aside from the bear, but Victor shoots his handgun into the air and shouts that everyone present has "some nerve" fighting right in front of a BOI agent. Battle lines are drawn, with Alkins and the other Gandor-hired assassins on one side and the twins, Chané, the bear, and the Larva on the other (Lua, Shaft, Victor, Isaac, and Miria on neither side), and everyone disperses as multiple police officers run in their direction. Abilities Alkins is a well-respected assassin, to the point where the Gandor brothers think highly of him and even Felix acknowledges his skill. That he looks like a random, scruffy drunk is more of a purposeful act of deception meant to lower others' guards: though he is usually drunk, he has a high alcohol tolerance and is never actually completely wasted. He is at the very least a capable shot with quick reflexes, and was even able to throw the likes of Ladd and Chané off their feet – though it should be noted that at the time they were fighting one-on-one and did not notice him silently approaching them. Trivia * "Alkie" is actually a nickname Raz gave Alkins on account of his being an alcoholic. That it is a derivative of "Alkins" is more of a bonus. That Luck is not entirely sure whether or not "Alkins" is Alkins' real name suggests that it could potentially be a pseudonym. ** "Alkie" has alternatively been spelled "Alky." Category:Characters Category:Male Characters Category:1930s Characters Category:Mortals